To Deceive a Deceiver
by shadowsteed
Summary: Saruman's treachery had been a crushing one for all Middle-earth, and now, after the final blow to the wizard had been delivered, no one believes he can yet be reformed. However, there is always a chance for redemption, if there is someone around you who has the courage to try.


_So hallo, I am starting another story. :-) I have been thinking about a story like this long time before I even started writing my own fanfics. Now, since I have seen the new Hobbit movie for the third time, I started playing LOTR Online and other LOTR games and my slightly obsessive mind decided to turn towards LOTR this time, I have decided to write this old idea of mine down. :-) I love Saruman, mainly because of Christopher Lee, but he really is my favourite character, I hope I'm not alone. So, this story is about him, although there will be a lot other characters, the story will end up a lot AU, I'm warning you, but read the first chapter and tell me what you think. :-) This first chapter is mainly an introduction to my OOC character._

_To Deceive a Deceiver_

_Chapter 1._

_"Against the power of Mordor there can be no victory... I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly... the lord of Mordor sees all... we must join with him, Gandalf... a great Eye, lidless, wrethed in flames... it would be wise, my friend... you have elected the way of pain!"_

In the darkness of the fortress of Meduseld, a two old, blue eyes have been opened and an ancient mind was torn from a deep, troubled sleep. Gandalf the White had awoken with a silent gasp, for once again, his night was haunted by nightmares. The responsibility over the fate of Middle-earth he felt was a great burden, and he wasn't the one who has the right to rest. For the Dark Lord never rested and never slept. The evil eye on the East was always opened, always watching.

Standing outside on the steps leading to the great hall, breathing fresh air brough here by the western winds, he was silently conteplating the contents of tonight's dream. Saruman. His heart still ached when he thought about the treatury of his once friend, for the treatury was indeed great, and although he couldn't allow himself to despair, it was sad to think what become of the once great and respected wizard. They were never much close to each other, they were very different after all, but still, their were friends, and it was said that he had to be the one to destroy him. And he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"Mithrandir?" a soft, gentle voice sounded behind him, and he turned his head towards the sound. There stood a young elf, her long, blond hair lightly flowing in the soft wind, blue eyes sparkling as she looked on the moon. She stepped closer to him and gently put a hand on his shoulder, sencing the gloom in the air. "Bad dreams?" she asked.

"Enethriel. You should take your sleep. There is a battle ahead."

"I know, but I woke up and I just can't go to sleep again right now."

"So do I." he sighed and she looked at him gently. "Did you have bad dreams?"

"Yes." came the answer.

Oh yes, a bad dream he had indeed. Saruman was making his moves, soon, the mighty army of the Isengard will be ready to fulfil their purpose. "I'll be leaving tomorrow, Enethriel. You will accompany the king and his people to Helm's Deep."

"Of course I will, Gandalf." she said and for a minute she closed her eyes. "Why do we have to fight him, Gandalf? Why would he betray everything he was supposed to protect?"

"He's blinded by the power he thinks he can get by serving the enemy, but, even if he wins, it will only bring him destruction. I will not kill him, no, but his efforts must be destroyed."

"And they will be. These orcs will not survive the battle."

...

A few minutes later, the young elf was standing alone. She was sad. She feared for Rohan. This great country was very dear to her heart, but, on the other side, so was Isengard once. About four hundred years ago, Enethriel was born in Mirkwood, but she was never much inclined to stay in her home. She was always a curious little elf when she was small, and it never changed much when she grew up. The only thing that changed was that she was finally able to realize her dreams, and she left the great forest to see more beauties that the Middle-earth had to offer. Over the years, she lived her live not only among the men, but the dwarves as well. She was fearful to go in Moria, even when there still were dwarves living in there, but her name was very well known in the great Thorin's halls in Ered Luin. She was one of the few elves the dwarves respected and she was proud of it, for she felt a great fondness for these small, but brave and hearty creatures.

If she ever met any elves, it was in Rivendell. She was always more like the elves from Elrond's house, and she was always wondering if some of her ancestors were not from the Half-elven bloodline.

But it was around the time when she reached the age of two hundred when she met Saruman the White. In that time, she became a common sight in Fangorn, for she loved the old forest since she first laid her eyes on him. There, she met Treebeard, and her and the Ent, they became friends. It was the Treebeard himself who acquainted her with the wizard, for she was hesitant to even go closer to the Isengard, and she warmed up the him very quickly. She was wondering why would he ever bothered himself to talk with a one little elf, but he said she interested him more than she thought. He would sometimes walk among the old trees and she would join for a long conversation. In time, she used to ride her horse around Isengard, and the white wizard assured her she is free to come within the rock circle if she would want to. She loved the old trees growing there, the green grass rustling under her feet. She could still remember how beautiful the place once was. The great iron tower with all it's sharp edges and spikes greatly contrasted with the green park around it, but still, it was beautiful. And yet, it didn't last for long.

For a long time she was asking herself, if she should recognise what was happening a long time ago, but after a while she came to termes with the fact, that, even if she understood the change, she wouldn't be able to do much. In time, the air around the Isengard grew tense, and cold. The white wizard stopped with his walks in the forest and she was worried, afraid to come near him ever since. If she ever met him again, he was cold and distant, and there was something about him that made her skin crawl. It was nearly unbearable in time, and so she decided to take her horse and leave the place, as far as she could. She returned to Mirkwood. Of course, she was gone for a very long time, and so she was welcomed with a few strange looks, but they accepted her in a typical warm elvish way, and for some time, she was happy here. Venturing deep in the forest, she eventually met Radagast, the brown wizard, and although she thought she might be a little reluctant to talk after her latest experiences with Saruman, she found out she never even had time for this, for her gentle, trusting heart was immediately overwhelmed by adoration to this perticular wizard. He was... well it would be insulting for a wizard to say funny, but he was slightly... odd, he surely wasn't someone you would imagine under the term wizard. But he was a kind soul, and he shared the same love for nature and animals she had, and his heart was in the right place.

She was one of the elves on Thranduils court when the dwarves of Thorin's party were captured. She always wished that she could help them somehow, but Thranduil was not a king one can debate with. And he didn't perticulary liked her either. So she was happy when they escaped and she was amazed when she heard it was a hobbit who freed them. Of course she saw hobbits before, but she never went directly through the Shire, for she didn't want to disturb the little folk.

And as much as she expected, she liked Bilbo when they first met. She found out that hobbits were nice and friendly creatures, often underestimated, but they were a part of Middle-earth as much as other races, with many unique qualities. Which is why she decided to accompany Bilbo on his way back home. During this time, she gained a few new friends, including Gandalf. And now, when Sauron returned again, she offered her services to the grey, and now white wizard, and he called upon her here in Rohan, to protect the land of the horse lords, for he knew how much she loved these lands.

...

A bright sun was shining upon the low hills of the Rohirrim country. Wind blew across the othervise silent countryside, when suddenly, a voice was brought through the chilly air, and then another and another. It didn't take long before the silence of the plains were filled with clatter of hooves and various other sounds. Riders appered on the horizon, and behind them, a long convoy of people, men, women and children of all ages, with their vagons and horses, bearing supplies to their new, temporary home.

They were heading to the west, to the great keep of Helm's Deep. It was an ancient fortress of Theoden's people, and it was this place, where the king decided to face Saruman's forces. The fortress, surrounded by many caves deep in the mountains, were a refuge big enough to protect the people of Rohan, but alas, it could also end as a trap. There was no way to escape from there and Gandalf knew this very well. In his wisdom, he chose to leave the king and his people to themselves and leave, but with a promise that he will return. And while they didn't know what he was up to, they trusted him with their lives as always.

Somewhere in the middle, riding along the crowd was a young elf. Enethriel was here, as she promised, with her bow ready. She was sure that the king knew what was best for his people, but she also knew that they were now travelling closer to the Isengard. And she had a strange feeling, something in his gut were telling her that the road there would be the first of their troubles.

She spured her dark horse to get more forward, lining up with the other soldiers, she silently stared at the blond elven prince, walking in the distance, his eyes on a watch. Legolas the Greenleaf, Thranduil's son. Of course, she saw him before, and, like with many other elven women, there was a time when she was in love with him. But she was still young in that time. On the other side, he always treated her kindly, she was surprised, but glad when she saw him again here in Rohan, and they greeted each other as old friends.

She turned her head when she heard a laugh and then a loud thud. A brown horse that was previously led by Eówin suddenly scared up and ran forward and it's rider, a dwarf named Gimli, ended up flying over his head to the ground like a large bag of stones. Many people around looked towards him, startled, but Enethriel didn't fight to hold the laugh that erupted from her throat. She knew that a dwarf cannot be even bothered by a mere fall from a horse. In fact, she loved dwarfs. The ancient grudge between the elves and the dwarves never had time to touch her and after the conquest of the Erebor dwarves when she really had a chance to get to know them, she coudn't even comprehend why they even started to hate each other.

An hour later, after a short stop for some food, they were once again on the march. Her black horse, named Shade, had a steady step, and so she led him walk alone, follow the others, while she was lost in her thought. But her musings were not about to last for much longer. She was watching the landscape, when another horse nearly brushed against hers from the other side as two soldiers, whose names she vaguely recalled as being Hama and Gambling, rode to the front, stopping under some large rocks in front of them. First, as she watched them, she didn't see what could be wrong, but then, one of the horses started snoring and whinning in fright. She looked up on the top of the rocks, and there she saw it. A large brown, wolf-like creature, bearing an amored orc on it's back. A warg.

She screamed and quickly took out her bow to fire at the beast, but it was too late, for the moment the warg appeared in the view, it climbed down the steep rocks and killed the first rider, before the other one had time to do anything. By the time Enethriel arrived at the scene, Legolas already killed the warg, but a loud rumbling from behind the hills signaled a nearing attack.

Chaos fell upon the group as they were preparing for the assault, and the most important thing was to get the people to safety and the task of leading them there, has been given to Eówin, the king's niece. All that were able to fight then rode forward to meet the approaching warg riders. And there were many. She shuddered as she watched the huge mass of furred beasts of Isengard emerged from behind the rocks, and heard the battle roars of the orcs riding them. The horses and wargs met each other as a two crushing waves on the sea.

...

Many of their soldiers have died that day. Too many. From the beginning, Enethriel wished to stay close to Legolas and the others, but she was soon forces to move to the other side of the battlefield. Shade was not much fast, but thankfully, an agile horse, perfect for an elven hunter. Fortunately, she was very good with her bow, almost as good as Legolas himself. She killed many wargs, although it didn't bring her much joy. You may thing she was a rather wierd elf, but she secretly admired the creature's strength, speed and agility. She loved living creatures in any form, even those that came from the darkness. Despite the great loss of men they suffered, this battle was a victory, but a shadow of a tragedy laid on them all, for during the battle, Aragorn was lost. Falling from a cliff above the river, he was nowhere to be found. She tried to reassure his grieving friends that he wasn't dead, for she head a feeling that the future king of Gondor will appear again somewhere. Yet as they finally arrived at Helm's Deep, reuniting themselves with the rest of the kingdom, a cold chill filled her stomach. For this battle was nothing against the one they will soon face.


End file.
